[Dynagroove] Okay, I'm convinced and here's what I learned

[BadIYE@aol.com]

Hip Hop is the bestest most nicest kind of music and gives the most  flowerly 
message of love.  Wow, i was such a xenophobe and racist before  for thinking 
that 50 Cents and his ilk glorified violence, made thug life  iconic, and 
failed to have any uplifting messages other than "get rich or die  trying".  
 
I'm really starting to like this style of argument: Shoot down an opinion  
you simply don't like by calling a person names like racist and xenophobe (which 
 is defined in Webster as "one unduly fearful of what is foreign and 
especially  of people of foreign origin"  I didn't think I was talking about foreign  
people...maybe it was the "bedouin" comment...of course, I'm Arab and  by 
nationality a foreigner [still not a citizen] and lived in  Kuwait for 17 years 
next to many a bedouin tribe. not foreign to me...but i  digress.  I used to 
think  it was a transparent and weak way of  arguing a point, but apparently it's 
not.  
 
Also, I've learned that reading comprehension is not very  important either.  
Nevermind that  what i said was that Iverson  went after his ex-wife 
brandishing a gun (maybe I should emphasis this  by adding quotes, using capital 
letters and underlining like this "BY  BRANDISHING A GUN" so everyone can read it) 
and "EVERYONE SEEMED TO  ACCEPT THIS BEHAVIOR".  Maybe I shoulda added that in 
 fact,  Iverson himself explained "THE BRANDISHING OF A  GUN" (NOT simply 
domestic violence) like this "I'm a product  of my environment and hip hop 
culture.  I can't change where I come from"  on TNT!  But who cares that Iverson 
himself connects the dots between the  culture he is immersed in and his extreme 
behavior.  What does he  know? I have learned now that such logical reasoning 
is not  important.  What's important?  I wrote it down for future  reference:  
"To win an argument:  1. say clever sounding things,  no matter how off 
subject, like "free market forces"...the more from total  left field the better; 2. 
insult your opponent! 3. don't worry about  reading comprehension, it doesn't 
matter, just make your point, ANY point"
 
I've also learned that it is more fun to live in a fantasy world than  
reality.  Those who live in the real world, who actually observe it,  listening to 
the plain meaning of lyrics and noting the demonstrable  effect on mainstream 
society at clubs, malls, movie theaters etc..are simply  nuts, and racists 
xenophobes to boot!.  So fuck that, I'm joining the  other side's world, the Fun 
and Fantastic World of Diddy.  I  now force myself to believe that the most 
crushingly dominant style of Hip  Hop in the WORLD, conveys a positive message 
like love thy neighbor and  help the poor and desperate.  It does not promote 
things like  beating down bitches and hoes, gettin' yours, and poppin' caps in 
people's  asses, and then hittin' up the club with a chronic and 40 ounce.  
 
Those things have NEVER been said in a hip hop track and is not being  said 
now...i used to imagine that before i saw the light through this wonderful  
discussion.  Must have been blind by all the ecstasy I took while  raping women 
at Burning Man.  I must have been out of my  mind thinking that there were 
silly label feuds or even  west coast east coast rivalries.  The owner of the 
label that most defined  an entire sound DOMINATING Hip Hop, is not  a thug 
gangster and  convicted felon, but is in fact this guy we like to call "sweet cuddly 
lil  shoogy", who helps old ladies cross the street every morning.  The label 
 owner we should be worried about is that Jamie Thinnes guy...he's  scary!   
Oh, and Notorious B.I.G.  and Tupac were not really  shot down over this B.S 
(Get out!!).   They are both alive and  well,  hangin out with Elvis sippin' 
Margaritas on a Carribean  Island.
 
Seriously, if anyone is still reading the other thread (i doubt it), I'm  
sure you have some basic understanding of the parameters of what I was saying,  
not what has been ascribed to me by my fellow "give me Hip Hop or give me  
Death" apologists.  My simple point was that the message of House vs. the  one 
coming out of Hip Hop at this moment in time are incompatible.  At  the risk of 
repetition, this was an observational opinion, take it or leave  it.  I was not 
debating the cultural background or history of Hip Hop,  the complexities and 
different facets of the genre, or the market reasons for  why certain type of 
Hip Hop succeeds above others, or making statements like the  "the sky is 
falling" or whatever that nonsensical irrelevant drivel was (sorry  but it was 
nonsensical irrelevant drivel...really).   
 
Here are a few extra observational opinions:  The fact that Cut  Chemist is 
great doesn't make him anywhere near the leading voice of Hip  Hop.  And a few 
Hip Hop clubs in LA that don't need metal detectors at the  door doesn't make 
pacifism the main message of the culture.    I've been to 3 of those clubs 
listed by George (a bunch of time to Zanzibar  alone).  The vibe there is 
certainly more 'peaceful and  friendly'.  I call this what it is:  a good start for 
Hip  Hop reform.  I hope it continues.  
 
I thank you for listening.  I hope some of it made you laugh,  cause I sure 
had a ball (no really).  I apologize for the overblown  reaction on the other 
side to such a basic point.  I am now returning  to the main program.  
 
Thug Life Forever!  Peace out!!
 
Imad
housesaladla.com
the GOOD life